News Release

Tuesday, August 2, 2005

Los Angeles: During the early morning hours of August 1, 2005, Southeast Area Homicide Detectives arrested two suspects for murder within hours of the crime being committed. This accomplishment was due in large part to the presence of a computer-aided video system recently installed by the business owner, after he himself had been victimized.

Year to date, Southeast Area has experienced 42 homicides; 12 during the month of July. Absent the presence of scientific evidence to link a suspect to the homicide or an eyewitness who can identify the suspect, apprehending those responsible for committing these murders becomes almost impossible. Along with this challenge is the fact that experience has taught us that many of these murders are committed by a select group of suspects. This being the case, it becomes imperative for us to apprehend suspects as early as possible, after the initial commission of crimes, before they continue on their murderous course.

Recognizing the fact that we as a Department do not have the resources [personnel and financial] necessary to blanket the City with police omnipresence, it becomes incumbent upon us to work more closely with our partners in the business and residential communities to thwart the escalation of loss of lives in our communities. One such available option is the increased use of technology by business owners as a means of protecting the residents of those communities they serve. This is what happened in the instant case with this business owner whose business had been recently burglarized by unknown suspects, resulting in losses in the tens of thousands of dollars. Immediately thereafter, he resorted to investing in a modernized computer-aided video system.

As a result of this investment, Southeast Area Detectives, within hours of this violent shootout between gang members [which resulted in one individual dead and another critically wounded], arrested two suspects for murder and attempted murder. Again, this accomplishment was due mainly in part to the utilization of modern technology, financed by a community business owner.